All My Children Commentary

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The Best and Worst of All My Children 2013:
We've come to the end of another year, and once again we're saying goodbye to All My Children. This week we take one last look back at the things t... Read the column now...

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Asleep in her hospital bed, Gillian had a dream like no other. In what can best be compared to the daydreams that Kelsey had of Scott several months back, Gillian dreamt of a hopelessly-in-love with-Ryan Hayley. Gillian was relaxed in her bed with a manicurist tending to her less than stellar nails. Suddenly, the door swung open and Hayley pushed the manicurist out the door. Hayley removed a hypodermic needle from her pocket and headed towards Gillian. Hayley's plan was to "evaporate" Gillian so that she could have Ryan all to herself. When all seemed lost, Ryan burst into the room and saved Gillian from Hayley's wrath. Ryan apologized to Gillian for the way he'd been treating her and then escorted Hayley to the door. He locked the door so that he and Gillian could have some time alone. After some extensive groveling, Gillian seemed poised to take Ryan back. Before she could offer her response to the pleas, Hayley kicked the door in and began begging Ryan to spend time with her. "She can have you during the week," Hayley blubbered. "I'm just asking for Saturdays and Sundays." In the most hilarious of Hayley's displays of affection, she leapt into Ryan's arms and pleaded with him to be a part of her life. Ryan responded by dropping Hayley to the floor! Hayley latched on to Ryan's leg and refused to budge. Again, Ryan walked to the door and this time virtually kicked Hayley out of the room. With the other woman out of the way, Ryan ripped off his shirt and proceeded to kiss Gillian passionately. Gillian woke from her sleep and sadly realized that she'd just been dreaming and Ryan was nowhere to be seen.

Edmundand Hayley discussed the implications of the arriving carnival. When Mateo returned to the room, Hayley asked her husband how he knew that this carnival was the one he'd seen in his visions. Even if it wasn't, Mateo said, it was better to be safe than sorry. If Hayley's safety was at risk, Mateo wanted to make sure that his wife was well-guarded and well-protected. From the doorway, Ryan announced that he wanted to help keep an eye on Hayley. Mateo turned and flared his nostrils. He told Ryan that he should be more concerned about his own wife. Ryan said that he was concerned for Gillian, but added that there wasn't much he could do for her right now. For a while it looked like the two strong-headed men might come to blows again, but Hayley stepped between then and averted a brawl. Hayley spoke out in her husband's defense, saying that his irrational behavior was only meant to protect her. Ryan found it hard to believe and as the allusions to Mateo being able to predict the future became more prevalent, he was even more interested in knowing exactly what was going on. He wanted to know exactly what it was that Mateo was "seeing." Hayley bowed her head uncomfortably. When the phone rang, she dashed out of the room to answer it. She returned a few seconds later to tell Ryan that Gillian was on the line for him. Ryan was obviously concerned for Gillian, but he didn't want to let Gillian know that. When he answered the phone, he used his best "annoyed" voice to let Gillian know that he wasn't waiting by the phone for her call. Gillian asked Ryan to pay her a visit, but Ryan quickly reminded her that only a short time before she'd told him that she never wanted to se him again. Gillian tried to coerce Ryan into admitting that he missed her, but Ryan never cracked. Instead, he told her to talk to one of the nurses that she so frequently complained about. The crushing blow came when Ryan told his wife that he was too busy to drop by the hospital----busy with Hayley. Gillian struggled to get out of bed. She reached for her robe and muttered that she would not allow Hayley to have "one extra second" with Ryan. Slowly and obviously painfully, Gillian hobbled out of her hospital room. Back at Wildwind, Ryan returned to the room and asked to be filled in on what was going on with Mateo, Hayley, and the visions. Edmund stepped in to explain the situation---without really explaining anything. He said simply that the approaching carnival was somehow tied to the danger and that they needed to either find the person who poses a danger to Hayley or to wait until the carnival left town. In the doorway, Lee fondled a scythe in a most spooky fashion. Edmund noticed Lee and asked him if there was anything that he needed. Lee said that he had questions about the ivy he was supposed to be chopping down. He also noted that he'd overheard parts of their conversation and offered to help keep an eye on Hayley. Both Mateo and Hayley were moved and thanked Lee for his offer. They had to decline for fear that the extra workload might cause Lee's illness to flare up. Lee made an eerie reference to the ivy he was about to chop. He said that the ivy looks nice, but it gets into the mortar and cracks in a building's structure. Then, over time, the supposedly beautiful plant can end up causing a building to crumble. No one knew it, but Lee was a lot like the ivy. When Lee left, the conversation about Mateo's visions continued. Ryan pressed for information on Camille. Ryan learned that Camille apparently wasn't behind the recent "accidents." He was also told that Camille's anger was fueled by her father's lies. Ryan suggested that they try to track down Camille's father. "Tennis anyone?" said Gillian as she waltzed into the room. As soon as the words left her mouth, Gillian fainted. Luckily, Ryan was there to catch her. While Mateo, Edmund, and Hayley were searching for water and ice for Gillian, Ryan teased Gillian about her grand entrance. Hayley returned with a glass of water and Edmund offered Gillian a cold compress. Everyone knew that Gillian had checked herself out of the hospital without permission. Gillian, like Lee before her, had overheard parts of the group's conversation. She asked to be filled in on what was going on. It was only then that Mateo told Ryan that finding Camille's father wouldn't be that hard of a task---he was dead. Ryan listened to the tale of Lee's letter to Camille and the vendetta over a death that had never occurred. He didn't want to appear ignorant, but he asked them if they were willing to take Camille's word that her father was really dead.

Marian showed up at the gallery looking for Stuart. With Stuart nowhere to be found, Marian admired some of the new artwork. One piece in particular, a reddish hued urn, caught her attention. When Start straggled in to the gallery, Marian asked Stuart if she could purchase the urn to display in her home. The urn may have been attractive, but it was not just another urn; the urn contained the Camille's cremated remains. Marian felt a bit awkward and apologized for any disrespect she might have exhibited. She willingly partook in a makeshift memorial service for Camille. Surprisingly, Marian had a great deal in common with Camille. Both, according to Marian, had been accused of sins and treated very badly by the Pine Valley population. Marian remembered that she hadn't told Stuart the reason for her visit. She explained that "John" had agreed to meet Stuart. Stuart proposed that they meet at the gallery later that night. Marian wondered why Stuart wanted to meet John; she knew that Stuart wasn't only interested in John because he wore a shark's tooth necklace. Stuart made a seemingly innocent comment about wanting to make sure that John wasn't the type of man that would take advantage of Marian. The comment prompted a defensive posture from Marian. She accused Stuart of once again trying to put her down. Stuart argued that he'd never do that to Marian. They both remarked that their relationship had ended because they were not good enough for the other. When they confessed their feelings, a light shone down on everything that had taken place between them over the past few weeks. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Marian asked in astonishment. Equally awed, Stuart said, "Am I?"

Jamie told his father that he didn't really like the idea of running from the authorities. But now that his father was there and planning on joining them on their globetrotting, all was well with the world. Tad smiled weakly and asked his son if he could have a few minutes alone with Brooke. When their son was out of the room, Tad and Brooke's discussion continued. Tad said that he wanted nothing more than to wring Brooke's neck. Brooke began sobbing and told Tad that she didn't want to debate "how bad or selfish" she was. Brooke claimed that she had made a decision that was best for her and her child and that decision was to flee Pine Valley. Tad accused Brooke of acting like "a misguided child" who believed that she could do magic. The magic trick, in this case, was believing that she could make herself disappear without anyone noticing. Tad walked over to the dining room table and yanked the tablecloth out from under a table full of dishes. The trick failed and the dishes went crashing to the ground. The broken dishes were a metaphor for their son's broken life. Tad explained that a life on the run would ultimately deny their son of a normal childhood. When Brooke turned down the offer to return to Pine Valley, Tad made it clear that if Brooke set foot outside of her apartment for any reason other than returning to Pine Valley, he would contact the authorities. Brooke felt that her only available option was to return home and face jail time. Tad started to remind Brooke about his plan with Joe, Jake, and Kelsey, but Brooke still envisioned herself getting locked up. If the sickness routine worked, she still believed that it would be impossible for her to get a fair trial. She refused to be behind steel bars while he son grew up without her. Jamie returned from his brief excursion carrying a board game. The three sat down and played a game, called Tug, which, incidentally, Jamie won. After the game, Jamie was once again asked to leave the room. Brooke felt it was unfair to punish her for running from an "unjust justice system." Tad promised Brooke that if she returned home with him, he would make sure that she never spent a day behind bars. The promise was welcomed, but Brooke knew that there was nothing Tad could do to make sure that his promise became a reality. Tad wanted Brooke to realize that she didn't have just one option. Yes, she could return to Pine Valley and go through with her trial. But she was also able to opt for a life on the run---but that option would mean that she'd spending her time alone because Jamie would not be going with her.

Was Camille's father really dead? It seemed like an odd question, but upon further examination Edmund and Mateo realized that the only proof they had that Camille's father was really dead was the infamous dead-bed letter. Gillian tried to interject what she'd heard Camille announce the night of the explosion, but she was silenced when Ryan told her that no one was interested in what she had to say. Fortunately, Mateo remembered pieces of Camille's frantic rambling about her father somehow being involved in what was going to happen. It became evident that everyone was starting to realize that Lee was still alive. Just to be sure, Ryan suggested that they track down a death certificate. No one knew where Camille's father lived and tracking him down would be next to impossible. Ryan wondered if Camille's letter bore a postmark that would narrow down the hunt. Edmund praised Ryan for his quick thinking and stated that Camille had supposedly been staying at Stuart's cabin at Willow Lake. Ryan offered to drive up to the cabin and look for the letter. When Gillian heard that her husband was getting ready to head out, she asked him if it was wise to leave her so soon after her release from the hospital. Ryan paid her little mind and went back to his discussion. Gillian, however, let her mind drift. She recalled the night of the explosion and the way that Ryan stayed by her side. Hayley recalled a chat she'd had with Camille about fathers. She could remember very little of the details, but she did remember Camille mentioning something about how she could not believe that her father was really such a bad guy. The portion of the conversation brought up discussion about Camille's parents and how her mother had been savagely beaten by her father. The Adam connection was also brought in to the conversation. Gillian lacked the attention she wanted and asked if anyone could help her remove her hospital ID bracelet. Ryan stomped over to the sofa and told Gillian that they had more important things to think about than removing a band that clashed with Gillian's robe. Ryan may have regretted the harsh words for when he returned to Gillian's side later, he was unable to wake her up.

The big day arrived as both Liza and Jake appeared at the fertility clinic to prepare for the sperm donation process. Jake had to fill out a mountain of paperwork before he could be considered as a legal participant in the donor program. Liza wanted to know more about what had gone on between Jake and Allie, but before Jake could give an answer, he was escorted to a cubicle and asked to proceed with his end of the process. When he was done, Jake was told that his specimen would be taken to the lab for some tests. Again, Liza tried to find out exactly what had gone down between Jake and Allie. This time Jake didn't dodge the questions---even though he wanted to. He assured Liza that she was in no way responsible for what had happened, but he explained that he and Allie were no longer engaged. Liza urged Jake to bow out of the donor program so that he could salvage his relationship with Allie. The urgings went unheeded. Jake explained that his relationship with Allie had started to fade long before sperm donation found its way to the table. Jake explained that since losing her medical license, Allie had changed---and he wasn't sure that the Allie he fell in love with would ever return. Jake headed back to the hospital to check on a patient and Liza was given a final consultation on what would happen next. All was a go for the final phase of the process---the insemination, which would take place at a later time. Liza left the clinic with a broad smile on her face. Had she stuck around a little while longer, she would have gotten to meet the clinic's new owner: Adam!

Trevor and Belinda appeared before Judge Foster to argue against Keith's motion for a face to face interview with Brooke. There was only one thing missing---Keith. Trevor used the assistant district attorney's absence to enter his objection to the motion. Belinda explained that visiting Brooke would mean that they would put themselves at risk for contracting Brooke's rare viral infection. Judge Foster noted that if the need arose, they would have to be sure to use the appropriate precautions to prevent catching the disease. Several minutes late, Keith stumbled into the courtroom and immediately went into an explanation of why he believed that Brooke wasn't really ill. Trevor found Keith's unwillingness to believe the Chief of Staff's diagnosis pretentious. Keith stunned everyone by announcing that he had an eyewitness to prove that Brooke was, in fact, faking her illness. Tension mounted as Judge Foster awaited the witness' name: Keith himself. Trevor laughed at the announcement and rattled off several potshots at his opposing counsel. Although he was peeved by Trevor's infantile name-calling, Judge Foster had to agree that Keith was basically grasping at straws. Keith had yet another stunning announcement: Not only had he seen that Brooke was not ill, but he also saw someone in her room without the necessary protective garb. He walked to the back of the courtroom and called Scott into the room. Scot walked solemnly to the front of the courtroom and took a seat in the witness box. Under oath, Scott testified that he had, in fact, been in Brooke's room sans biohazard gear. He explained that he didn't know that he had to wear the clothing and that on his subsequent visit he wore the necessary protection. He noted that Jack could testify to that because he'd seen him coming out of Brooke's room. When he snidely remarked that Keith had seen him leaving the room, Belinda asked Keith if he spends all of his free time stalking around outside Brooke's room. Keith defended himself by noting that he'd dropped by the hospital to visit Jack, not check up on Brooke. There was question as to why Scott would be interested in visiting Brooke---or more so why he was allowed to visit since he was not immediate family. A smile emerged on Scott's face as he said that he tries to keep close contact with all of his Uncle Adam's ex-wives. Trevor also added that Scott had been dating Brooke's daughter, Laura. Keith asked Scott if he was certain that Brooke was in the hospital room with him. Scott said nothing. Keith quickly reminded Scott that he was under oath and that lying would bring about perjury charges. Trevor felt that Keith was trying to intimidate Scott, but the judge asked Scott to answer the question. Nervously, Scott said that he was sure that he'd been visiting Brooke. With that, the questioning was over. Scott left the room, but Keith remained unconvinced that he was being told the truth. Trevor was outraged that Keith had the word of several doctors and an eyewitness---and that he still believed that there was a conspiracy. Judge Foster told the attorneys that he really wanted to believe that the truth was being told. He also remarked that he wanted to believe in the Easter Bunny, world peace, and the possibility of winning the US Open. He decided that it wouldn't hurt to take a quick visit to the hospital and check in on Brooke. In fact, Judge Foster decided that he'd tag along on the outing.

Finally, Stuart and Marian realized that they've been misunderstanding each other for months. There was no anger or hidden resentment. What there was, though, was an awful lot of confusion. Stuart explained that when he said that he was unable to forget about all the men that Marian had been with, he was not trying to imply that Marian was a trollop. He said that he was worried that Marian would never want a man who couldn't measure up to all of the other men. Marian assured Stuart that he was the nicest person she'd ever met and that it was the other men who could not measure up to him. Then it was Stuart's turn to clear things up with Marian. He said that she was the "most beautiful flower" he's ever seen. Marian remarked that Stuart was a regular "King Bee." That evoked a chuckle from Stuart as he explained to Marian that there was no such thing as a king bee. The two fell into each other's arms and shared a long, tender yet passionate kiss. Their hands freely roamed each other's bodies. Marian pulled away when she felt something "long and pointy" in Stuart's pocket. Stuart smiled nervously and pulled a shark's tooth from his pocket. Unbeknownst to either Marian or Stuart, Lee was lurking in behind a nearby wall listening to their conversation. Stuart told Marian that he still wanted to meet "John," the false name that Lee was using. Marian wondered if Stuart was jealous of her supposed relationship with the man. Stuart claimed that he was not jealous, but that he was concerned. He told Marian that John might be a dangerous criminal who could pose a serious threat to her safety. After their conversation, Stuart headed off to Wildwind to locate Mateo and tell him of his suspicions about Lee. Alone in the gallery, Marian received the fright of her life when Lee snuck up behind her.

At the hospital, Kelsey was going out of her mind with boredom. She could do little more than blink out of fear that she might be found out. The door to the room opened and a woman slipped inside. The woman walked over to the bed and asked Brooke how she was feeling. Kelsey responded with a very deep and sickly voice. She told the woman that she was not allowed to have visitors. The woman dropped her mask to reveal her face---it was Janet. Janet knew that the voice she'd just heard was not Brooke's. Kelsey, still posing as Brooke, threatened to call the security team if Janet didn't leave. Janet rolled her eyes and said that the security team was inept; she'd gain access by claiming to be Brooke's sister. The problem was that Brooke did not have a sister. Janet yanked the sheets off of the bed so that she could see who was pretending to be Brooke. Janet was stunned to see Kelsey cuddled up in a little ball. Janet demanded to know what was going on. Kelsey begged Janet to leave at once before she "screwed up" the plan. Janet told Kelsey that everything was already screwed up. She was concerned that Trevor would get in trouble over the disappearing Brooke trick. Janet explained that something had to be done before everyone realized that Brooke wasn't in the room. There was only one way to solve the problem in Janet's mind. "You're going to have to die," Janet said sinisterly. Kelsey's eyes popped out of her head and she threatened to call security to protect her. Janet sighed and asked Kelsey if she believes that she carries around "a collapsible crowbar" in her purse. Janet didn't mean that Kelsey would have to die. She meant that "Brooke" would have to die. Things got a bit more hairy when Jake entered the room. He immediately went into panic mode when he caught Janet and Kelsey chatting it up. Janet clued Jake and Kelsey in on what had tipped her off to their scheme. She also said that it was possible that Keith would be receiving a court order to visit "Brooke." Jake decided that he would take the necessary steps to protect everyone. He asked Kelsey and Janet to return home so that they wouldn't find themselves in hot water. Kelsey refused, saying that she wanted to stick around and help. Janet received a call from Trevor and learned that in just under two hours, "Brooke: would be receiving some company. As time slowly went by, Keith, Belinda, Trevor, and Judge Foster arrived at the hospital and prepared to enter Brooke's room.

A crowd had assembled outside of Brooke's hospital room. Keith, Belinda, Trevor, Janet, Judge Foster, and Jack all wanted to be allowed into the room to check on Brooke. Dimitri, also donned in protective clothing, blocked the door and announced that no one could be allowed to see Brooke. He cited Brooke's frail health as the reason for his protest. He also explained that the doctors had okayed one visitor at a time, not a whole gaggle of lawyers. Judge Foster warned Dimitri that he'd face contempt charges if he continued to block their path. Trevor told Dimitri that he was not helping Brooke by blocking their entrance. Dimitri bowed his head and stepped out of the way. Dixie showed up just as the group headed into Brooke's room. Dimitri walked over to Dixie and told her that they were "dead." Inside the room, Keith called out to Brooke and asked her to show him her face. The woman in the bed didn't move. Keith held out the court order and demanded Brooke to show him her face. The woman slowly turned over and revealed her face.

Ryan gently brushed Gillian's cheek as he urged her to stop pretending that she couldn't hear him. As annoyed as he was, Ryan couldn't help but smile at his wife's tenacity. Still Gillian wouldn't admit that she was faking. As Ryan brushed Gillian's cheek a bit harder, he realized that she wasn't faking---she was really ill. Ryan hoisted his wife and carried her out the front door.
At the hospital, a doctor determined that Gillian had not suffered a relapse; she had simply overexerted herself. With no one else around to hear his frustration, the nurse found herself on the receiving end of Ryan's gripes. He complained that the hospital had acted negligently by allowing one of its patients to simply walk out. The nurse offered to let Ryan speak to its patient advocate, but Ryan decided not to make an issue of Gillian's "escape." The nurse did tell Ryan, however, that he should be thankful that his wife wasn't in worse condition. When Gillian woke a few minutes later, she had no idea where she was or what had happened to her. Ryan was glad to see that Gillian was once again alert, but he had tired of her stunts. Frustrated, Ryan told Gillian that he was going to let her be "someone else's headache" and then headed for the door. Gillian softly called out for Ryan to stay with her. She said that she needed company. Ryan stormed over to Gillian's bed and showed her how to use the remote control for the television. It was obvious that Gillian didn't want her husband to leave. She told him that she was frightened by hospital---people die in hospitals. Ryan threw his hands into the air and announced that since he didn't have anything else better to do, he might as well stay with Gillian. Gillian made a passing comment about Ryan's offer to stand guard for Hayley. With a smile, Ryan told Gillian that Mateo had sentry duty all under control.

Adam was taken on what he called an "informal tour" of the fertility clinic. He'd barely cleared the corner when Liza returned to the clinic to retrieve a pair of sunglasses that she'd left behind. She went back into his examination room and managed to find the sunglasses. On her way back out, Allie appeared in the doorway. Her path blocked, Liza had little choice but to ask Allie what she wanted. Liza suggested that Allie write her a note. That, however, didn't go over well with Allie and she informed Liza that she would stay put and listen to her. Allie said that she wanted to throw herself at Liza's mercy. The last three months of Allie's life had been very difficult and she explained that the stress caused by losing her medical license had caused her to act irrationally. In short, this was Allie's mea culpa. Allie went even further than just saying that she was sorry. She begged Liza to forgive her and to accept her back as a friend. Apology not accepted. Liza told Allie that she couldn't take her at her word because she didn't know which Allie she was talking to: the Allie that was supposedly her friend or the Allie that had went behind her back to tell Adam about her plans to undergo artificial insemination. Allie contended that she wasn't thinking when she'd summoned Adam. Liza disagreed. She argued that Allie had thought about her decision to go to Adam and that the decision was a cold, calculated way to destroy her life. Suddenly, Allie's sincerity vanished. She frowned angrily as she accused Liza of doing even worse treachery to their friendship. Allie accused Liza of being the cause of her broken engagement. Had it not been for Liza, she reckoned, she and Jake would still be together. Asking Jake to help her conceive a child was one of Liza's tricks to get Jake back into her life. Liza rolled her eyes in disbelief. She wondered how many times she'd have to tell Allie that she was not interested romantically in Jake. "Don't do it," Allie said of Liza's plan to move to the next stage of artificial insemination "Or you'll wish you were never born." Allie said that her statement was not a threat, it was a warning. Liza asked Allie what she could possibly do to prevent her from going through with the procedure. "Huff and puff and blow the clinic down?" Liza quipped. Allie flashed her teeth as she hoped that Adam would somehow be "vicious enough" to stop Liza. Liza stormed out of the room. Later she was told that her body temperature indicated that she'd probably be ovulating within twenty-four hours. Thrilled with the news, Liza left the clinic. Soon after she left, Adam poked his head from around a corner and smiled sinisterly. Allie was coming out of the examining room when she saw Adam---and the look on his face. She swallowed hard and quickly ducked back into the room.

At Wildwind, Edmund, Mateo, and Hayley returned to the livingroom area and noticed that Ryan and Gillian were both missing. They assumed that Gillian was resting in bed and that Ryan had gone to Willow Lake. Edmund informed the couple that he had calls to his contacts in Washington to help them locate Lee Hawkins. Stuart rushed into the room with a definite sense of urgency. He told Mateo that he had arranged a meeting with John, Marian's new boyfriend. He explained the shark's teeth connection to the accidents. Mateo told Stuart that John probably wasn't a suspect because they believed that Lee Hawkins was still alive. Stuart's face fell. Hayley explained that it appeared that Lee's death bed letter was a fake. Stuart told the trio that if Lee really was still alive, "The Chandlers couldn't have a worse enemy." Hayley had taken steps to locate Lee. She'd had someone run Lee's Social Security number to see if Lee had been using his identification number. Stuart was somewhat relieved---but in an odd way. He knew that if Lee was still alive, then Marian's boyfriend wasn't the one who had been stalking his family.

An oxygen mask partially covered the woman's face, but it was still apparent that the woman in the bed was, in fact, Brooke English. Keith was caught totally off guard. He hadn't planned on actually seeing Brooke in the bed. Judge Foster apologized for disrupting Brooke's peaceful sleep and wished her a speedy recovery. Jake, who was still tending to the "patient," broke the news that Brooke's illness was now responding to antibiotics. This meant that Brooke might be able to be released from the hospital in several days. Keith had gone from stunned to irritated. He insisted that something wasn't quite right. He knew that he'd seen Brooke laughing and joking with Scott Chandler. Brooke blinked her eyes and said that she didn't even remember having a visitor. Judge Foster ordered Trevor and Keith to appear before in back in the courthouse. As everyone filed out of the room, Dixie poked her head into the room and told Brooke that she was glad that she was going to be okay. Brooke's speedy return to the hospital was due, mostly in part, to the Concord. Still, they'd barely made it back in time to be ready for Keith's crusade. Outside the room, Dixie approached Tad and told him that she was "proud" of him. His ex-wife's high marks caught Tad a bit by surprise. Dixie explained that Tad had done a wonderful job in getting Brooke back to town before she got into even more trouble. Tad worried that one of the promises he'd made to get Brooke to return to town might not be possible. That promise, of course, was his vow that he would get Brooke cleared of all the charges against her. Dixie was confident that Tad could fulfill his promise. She noted that she'd seen Tad do the impossible many times before. The two parted ways, but as Dixie walked away she put her hands over her head as though she was scolding herself for not saying something more to Tad.
Inside the hospital room, Dimitri slowly approached Brooke with his head lowered. He knew that Brooke probably didn't want to see him since he was the one who had forced her into fleeing the country. Brooke did not feel that way at all. She told Dimitri that no one can make her do anything; she had been the one who ultimately decided to run. Brooke confessed that her decision was wrong. She never anticipated that she'd miss her friends so much or, as she reached out to grab Dimitri's hand, "the people who mean the most" to her.

In Judge Foster's courtroom, Trevor again pressed Janet about what she knew regarding Brooke's illness. Janet told her husband that if he wanted to grill something, she'd be more than happy to pick up a few steaks. Trevor continued the pressure and eventually Janet spilled everything. Trevor was furious and told his wife that as an attorney he should have her arrested for aiding and abetting a fugitive. Janet smiled slyly and told Trevor that she knew a good attorney to take up her case. The two started smooching and laid down on the floor for a little time together.

Marian's face turned pale as she peered into "John's" eyes. John remarked that it looked like Marian had just seen a ghost. Marian, nervously, said that she doesn't believe in ghosts. She lied and said that she was just thinking about calling him to make sure that he was still on for their dinner date with Stuart. John claimed that he was in the area and that he thought he'd drop by a little early. Marian made the unfortunate mistake of saying that Stuart had stepped out. John knew that that meant that Marian was all alone. He suggested that they use their time alone for some "fun." Marian began to shake. She tiptoed away from John and told him that she had to proofread a catalog for Stuart. She claimed that she didn't want to tie up John's time and urged him to go out and enjoy the nice weather. John placed his hands on the desk where Marian sat and leaned in close to her. Marian lost her composure and ordered John to get away from her. John was confused. Earlier, Marian had wanted him to pretend to be her love interest so that Stuart would become jealous. Marian nervously explained that there had been an unexpected turn in her relationship with Stuart and that she no longer needed John's help. She smiled and again encouraged John to leave. Marian got out of her seat and started to walk John to the door. He spun around and started walking towards Marian. For every step that John made towards her, Marian took two steps backward. As she fumbled backwards, Marian bumped into the urn that contained Camille's ashes. Marian caught the urn before it fell to the floor. Lee asked her if the urn was a valuable piece of artwork. Marian chuckled nervously and told Lee that the urn contained the cremated remains of Camille Hawkins. Lee's mouth gaped and his eyes bulged. "[Stuart] Chandler thinks he can keep my baby from me?" Lee said furiously. Marian now realized that John was Camille's father. She asked the man if "Lee" was really his last name-or if it was his first name. Lee looked coldly at Marian and lunged towards her. Of screen, Marian could be heard screaming in horror.

Stuart returned to the gallery from Wildwind and noticed that Marian was nowhere to be found. After looking around for several minutes, he noticed that something else was missing too---the urn containing Camille's remains. Time passed and Stuart prepared the dinner table for his dinner engagement with Marian and John. By the time Tad arrived several minutes later, Stuart was already concerned about Marian's disappearance. Tad looked around and determined that Stuart was planning on having a romantic dinner with Marian, but he wondered why Stuart had set a third place-setting. Stuart told Tad that he had planned on meeting Marian's friend, John, to see if he had been involved in the recent accidents. Stuart rambled on and on about how he now believed that Mateo, Edmund, and Hayley's suspicions about the accidents were probably right. There was only one problem---he continued to babble without once stopping to explain what those suspicions were. Finally, Tad was able to get a word in edgewise and ask Stuart to tell him what he was talking about. The idea that Lee Hawkins was not dead seemed simple that Tad wondered how they had overlooked the possibility. The only thing he wondered was whether or not Camille knew that her father was still alive or if she, too, had been duped. The two men recalled that the night of the explosion, Camille had rushed into Holidays mumbled something about her father. They then knew that Camille not only knew that her father was still alive, but she knew that he had been the one to sabotage the boiler. Stuart placed a call to Marian's house to see if she was en route to the gallery, but he got no answer. He left a message on her answering machine and started getting even more worried. Tad told Stuart that he was glad that he and Marian had gotten back together. The topic of romance made Tad reflect on his recent failed attempts at love. Stuart told Tad that while he cared for both Gloria and Camille, he knew that neither woman was the woman for Tad. Tad titled his head backwards and rolled his eyes. He told Stuart that he's thought over and over again about reuniting with Dixie, but he was certain that it wasn't in the cards. With a broad smile, Stuart pointed out that he had never mentioned any woman's name. Tad grinned and decided that he'd better leave before he embarrassed himself. Outside the gallery, Tad looked up at the night sky and recalled how he and Dixie had been reunited several years prior by wishing on a star. Tad's lips quivered slightly and he continued on his way. Back inside, Stuart was now convinced that something bad must have happened to prevent Marian from keeping her date. He dashed out of the gallery in search of the woman he loved.

Tad returned home and found Junior and Jamie plopped on the sofa engaged in a heated video game battle. Jamie was overjoyed to see his father and asked him if he could join them for a game or two so that it would be "the four of us---just like old times." Even the worst mathematician could see that there were only three people in the room. Toting a big bowl of buttered popcorn, Dixie walked into the room and greeted Tad with a smile. A smile planted on her face, Dixie asked Tad if he'd like to join them for a little fun.

Two of the fertility clinic's technicians shut down the computers for the night and gossiped about the new owner. Both wondered why Adam would want to buy a fertility clinic. One of the women mused that he might have his sights set on creating a fertility clinic empire. They chuckled as they left for the evening. Adam used his key to slip into the office and started poking around. He found his way to the cryogenics room, the area in which all donor specimens were frozen and stored. A room containing dozens of vials of frozen sperm was virgin territory to the multi-millionaire. He checked a list to find out exactly where Jake's specimen had been stored. Once he found the location, he put on a pair of insulated rubber gloves to protect his skin from the sub-zero temperature of the storage chamber. Using a pair of long tongs, Adam carefully looked through the specimens. Once he'd located Jake's specimen, he carried the vial over to a sink and prepared to thaw out the specimen, thus rendering it unusable. As he did this, Allie slipped into the clinic through the still ajar front door. She tiptoed to the storage room and caught Adam in the act. She demanded that Adam stop what he was doing and return Jake's specimen to the freezer. Adam was caught off guard by Allie's opposition. After all, she was the one who had tipped him off to Liza and Jake's plans in the first place. Allie nodded slightly and admitted that she'd squealed on the pair, but stated that she now knew that it was wrong for her to go behind her friends' backs. Allie said that she'd been "confused" when she called Adam. Adam knew that he had to convince Allie that what he was doing was right. And his argument was pretty convincing. He told Allie that if she allows him to dump Jake's specimen, the road will be cleared for her and Jake to get back together. Allie decided that she wanted Liza to have the child that she wanted. Adam informed Allie that he also wanted Liza to have a baby---just not with Jake. Now the plan was revealed: Adam planned on replacing Jake's sperm with his own. Allie thought that the plan was diabolical and now knew why Liza had been so angry when she found out that Adam knew about her plan to undergo artificial insemination. Adam could see that Allie was drifting away and he knew that he had to hurry up and reel her in before she was lost forever. Adam said that by having Liza get pregnant with his sperm, all would be right with the world. Allie could go be supportive of Jake's decision to help Liza get conceive a child because she would know that it wasn't Jake's sperm that had gotten Liza pregnant. Adam said that he would tell Liza what he'd done at a later date---adding that by that time, he and Liza would have realized that they were still in love with each other. Allie's opposition now wavered. She looked like she wanted to help Adam, but she just needed a little nudging. Something about the whole thing just didn't seem right. Adam laughed. He said that there was nothing wrong with what he was doing. He then gave Allie an example of something that wasn't right---and it proved to be the coup de grace. He told Allie that it was not fair for a person to have studied hard for years, gotten their medical license and become an excellent doctor only to have their license revoked by a "bureaucratic technicality." Fate had brought he and Allie together in the cryogenics room, he said. He then commented that it he needed a doctor to help him complete his task---and that Allie was the perfect person for the job. Being called a doctor melted Allie's frozen exterior. Adam reminded the former doctor that he was a very powerful man and that he had a great deal of influence. If Allie were to go along with Adam's plan, he would make sure that her medical license was reinstated. Allie reluctantly agreed to help Adam with his plan. Adam repeatedly told Allie that she was doing the right thing and that now everything would be "as it should." The only thing he asked of Allie was her silence. If she could do that, she would get everything that she deserved: a loving relationship with Jake and a career in medicine.

At the Valley Inn, Liza found Jake downing a glass of beer by himself. She pulled up a chair and told Jake that if all goes well, she could soon be a mother. Jake warned Liza that she shouldn't get her hopes up just in case the first procedure didn't yield the desired results. Liza also told Jake about her latest run-in with Allie. Jake seemed upset, or rather hurt, that Liza did not accept Allie's apology. He wasn't alone in feeling that way. Liza also appeared to have second thoughts about the way she acted. She explained that she would have loved to have accepted Allie's proposal, but said that she was hurt by the way that Allie had gone behind her back to tell Adam about her plans. Soon, Liza began to chuckle about her two closest friends---Tad and Jake. Both were her former love interests. Friends were supposed to make the best lovers, not the other way around. Jake decided that he'd return home so that he could talk to Allie. Liza urged him to do whatever he had to do in order to smooth things over with Allie. Jake didn't need any convincing. Soon after Jake left, Liza was told that her table in the dining area was ready. She rose to her feet and was greeted by a familiar face: Adam.

Allie moped into the boarding house, obviously plagued by her conscience. When she finally looked up, she saw that Jake was waiting for her.

Lee carried Marian from the gallery to an usual final destination: The Marick mausoleum. Lee sat curled up in one corner of the crypt while Marian laid on top of one of the burial chambers. She was out cold and displayed in much the same way that a corpse would be displayed in a coffin. On the other side of the chamber was a makeshift shrine to Camille complete with candles and the urn. When Marian awoke, she received a scary surprise. Lee hovered over her and asked her how her nap was. Marian wondered why she'd been taken to the Marick crypt. Lee said that since he worked at Wildwind, staying in the crypt seemed convenient. He also said that the crypt seemed like the best place to set up a memorial to his daughter. "Your Camille's father," Marian said softly. "Of course I am," Lee said with a goofy smile. Lee then proposed a series of changes that would be needed to liven up (sorry about the pun) the crypt. Marian told Lee that they were expected for dinner at the gallery and that if they did not show Stuart would come looking for them. The mention of Stuart's name infuriated Lee. He told Marian that he never wanted to hear Stuart's name again. "You know how I get when you flirt with those other men," he growled. Marian shook her head and innocently explained that she had no idea what Lee was talking about. "Don't play around with me, Joy," Lee snarled. "Do you want me to teach you all over again?" Marian quaked and begged Lee not to harm her. She tried to explain to Lee that she was not his late wife. Marian looked towards the urn and told Lee that he had picked a wonderful place to have Camille spend eternity. She said that the property value at Wildwind doubles every day and that Camille was in the company of royalty. She slowly walked towards the urn. She took it in her hands and held it above her head. She let it go and Lee was forced to lunge across the room to catch the urn before it hit the floor. Marian dashed to the front door in the hope of escaping---but Lee had padlocked the door. Marian knew that there was no way out unless, of course, she got the key away from Lee. Lee continued on with his speech about wanting things to be better between him and Marian, who he still believed was Joy. He announced that he was going to go out for a while and take care of Stuart so that he'd never seen her kissing him again. Marian tried to get outside too, but Lee told her that she had to stay and keep Camille company. Lee started to unlock the door. Suddenly, Marian bolted across the crypt and pushed Lee into the door. She jumped on his back and tried to wrestle him to the ground.

To relieve herself from the oppressive heat that had set in on Pine Valley, Hayley decided to cool off with a nice shower. With the water sprinkling down on her, she didn't hear the sound of the bathroom door opening. In what can be best compared to a scene out of Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, a shadowy figure slowly approached the shower stall. Something prompted Hayley to peer through the frosted glass shower door and she saw a figure standing but a few feet away. She reached for the only thing around that could be used as a weapon---a loofah back scrubber. The futile weapon held above her head, Hayley prepared to scrub her attacker to death. The door slid open and Hayley screamed in horror. Luckily, the intruder wasn't really an intruder; it was Mateo. Hayley scolded her husband for scaring her half to death. Hayley stood before her husband wrapped only in a bath towel---and the towel didn't stay on very long. Mateo smiled seductively and told his wife to think of him as her "cabana boy." One thing led to another and the couple dropped their clothing and returned to the shower for a hot and steamy sexual interlude. After their shower, the romantic mood still lingered---and what better way to spend the night than skinnydipping by moonlight.

Anger and amusement swirled about the crypt as Lee seemed genuinely tickled by Marian's attack. The joking ended when Marian gouged his eyes. Lee twisted and turned and did everything in his power to shake Marian off of his back. Marian was a feisty attacker, but in the end she proved to weak for Lee. He tossed her of her back and Marian tumbled to the ground. Out of breath, Marian couldn't muster enough strength to prevent Lee from leaving. Alone, Marian turned to an unlikely source for the help she needed---God. She asked God to look over Stuart and keep him safe from Lee's wrath. As the tears streamed down her face, she even asked God to help nudge Adam into being a better brother to Stuart. After the prayer session, Marian knew that she had to find a way out of her prison. She pounded on the door, but the several foot-thick walls prevented her cries from being heard. She then took a metallic object and started grating it on the door. Outside, Mateo and Hayley scampered around. They stopped for a kiss in front of the mausoleum and heard a strange noise, unaware that the noise was an SOS call from Marian.

Allie took one look at Jake and knew that he was going to holler at her. Before she could tell him that she didn't want to hear his complaints, Jake interrupted her with a surprising announcement. He told her that her actions over the past few months nearly pushed him away, but that for some reason he is still hopelessly in love with her. He said that he knew that times have been hard for her and he suggested that a trip or two to see a therapist might do her some good. With that, the bubble of elation popped. Allie was no longer overjoyed that Jake still loved her. In her mind, he was calling her a psycho. She accused Jake of wanting her to be a mindless wimp who would go along with anything that he said. Jake once again tired of Allie's lashing out and told her that there was no point in trying to talk to her when she was in that state. He stormed out of the house and Allie was left to sob alone. Allie pondered the situation for several seconds before deciding to chase after Jake. She opened the door and called out to him, but Jake wasn't in sight. David, however, was. He shook his head and looked into Allie's eyes. "Allie, Allie, Allie," he said. "You really blew that one."

Jamie and Junior were overjoyed to have things back the way that they used be. The only problem was that they failed to realize that things really were not the same. Junior went as far as to invite himself---and Dixie---to a sleepover at Tad's house. A whimsical exchange took place as everyone look towards someone else to see if the sleepover was a go. "Dad?" "Dixie?" "Tad!" "Mom?" said Jamie, Tad, Dixie, and Junior chirped respectively. Dixie agreed to let her son stay the night, but she noted that she didn't "do sleepovers." The two boys dashed upstairs to shower. Dixie worried that Adam would flip his lid when he learned that she allowed Junior to leave the fortress known as Chandler Mansion. Dixie was unable to forget why she was no longer living with Tad and she was plagued by flashbacks of the time she learned that Tad and Liza were more than co-workers. She became uneasy and announced that she'd better get home and go to bed. Dixie had a busy morning planned: She wanted to contact an attorney to help her overturn the court order that granted Adam temporary custody of Adam Junior. Tad felt like Dixie was trying to flee Pine Valley. He reminded her that Pine Valley was once her home and he even put in a few plugs for the town to try to get her to return "home." Dixie assured Tad that she wasn't going to leave just yet. She said that she wanted to wait until Palmer got his sight back before making the move. Dixie claimed that she felt more comfortable in Pigeon Hollow, but more likely she felt less troubled by the painful memories that Pine Valley evoked. As Dixie prepared to leave, one of Pine Valley's infamous summer brownouts hit. The house was cast in darkness. Dixie knew her way around the house-even in the dark. What she hadn't anticipated was that Tad had gotten some new furniture since she left. On her way to get the flashlight, Dixie smacked into a table and hurt her leg. It was nothing major, but she knew that she'd have a pretty big bruise by morning. Tad poked around for a flashlight. He rested his hand on what he thought was a flashlight---but it turned out to be a handheld vacuum. When the lights came back on, Tad and Dixie were standing less than a few inches apart and staring into each other's eyes.

Believe it or not, Liza actually expected Adam to drop by. She knew that if Adam found out that she was trying to get pregnant, he'd make an appearance and try to talk her out of it. Adam tried to pretend that he was surprised that Liza was considering having a child, but Liza told him that she already knew that Allie had told him about her plan to undergo artificial insemination. Adam smiled slyly and admitted that he knew everything, Liza warned her ex-husband that there was no possible way that he could stop her from going through with the procedure. Adam smiled broadly and told Liza that "wouldn't dream" of trying to talk her out of her plans. Adam bowed his head and told Liza that he's glad she's trying to bring a child into her life. He sadly noted that he never got a chance to raise any of his children---Althea had kept Skye from him until she was virtually grown, Hayley was raised by Harry and Arlene Vaughan, and Junior was being cared for in Pigeon Hollow by Dixie. Adam also had two children who had died prematurely---Anna Claire with Gloria and the unborn child he'd lost with Liza. Liza wanted to believe that Adam was sincere, but she couldn't help but wonder if he wasn't up to his old tricks. Stuart raced into the room and asked Liza and Adam if they'd seen or heard from Marian. When Adam learned that Marian and her male friend, John, were missing, he found plenty of jokes to be made. "Golly," Adam sneered. "I wonder what they could be doing." He advised Stuart to check the "no tell motel" for signs of Marian and her beau. Stuart defended Marian, saying that she would never do something like that. He took a few seconds out to tell Liza that he and Marian were back together. Actually, he said that they'd never really broken up because neither one wanted the relationship to end. Liza was very happy for Stuart and wished him well. Adam, on the other hand, remarked that, "once again [Stuart had] snatched defeat from the jaws of victory." Stuart dashed away and Liza tore into Adam for not being supportive of Marian and Stuart's relationship. She knew that he hadn't really changed his ways. Adam insisted that he had changed, but that he hadn't become "soft in the head." He again told Liza that he was glad that she was going to have a baby. He did admit that Jake wasn't his first choice for a father, but he said that he would let Liza make her own decisions.
Outside, Stuart walked towards his car. He had no way of seeing Lee sneak up behind him. Lee clobbered---and I do mean clobbered---Stuart on the head with what looked like a flashlight. He dragged the now unconscious man over to a dimly lit corner of the parking lot and waited until nearby footsteps disappeared. Adam paused briefly, looked around, and then walked off. Lee pulled a large knife from his pocket and held so that the moonlight glistened off the blade. He held the knife directly over Stuart's chest and started on a downward thrust.